Ashington AFC

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Seaham Red Star

Sat 7 Apr 2018 | Ebac Northern League Division One | Home

Stadium

Woodhorn Lane

Attendance

128

Referee

Shane Sugden

Kick-Off

15:00

By Gary Bell

Torrential rain met the teams as they took the pitch for the Northern League Division One clash at Woodhorn Lane on Saturday but the 128 hardy souls who braved the elements were rewarded with a vintage Ashington performance as they put in one of the games of the season against Seaham Red Star.

Ashington signalled their intentions as early as the second minute when Dale Pearson received the ball in the box about 8 yards out but his first time effort flew just the wrong side of the post. Seaham showed they were not there just to make up the numbers however when with their next possession they crafted a chance which saw Robbie Bird take a snapshot from the edge of the box which Connor Grant held well. The home keeper, making his 150th league appearance in an Ashington shirt, was called on again on 14 minutes when a neat through ball saw Liam McBryde break through one on one but Grant stood firm to push his effort around the post.

Ashington started to take control of the game and a quick passing move involving Kyle Downey, Damien Stephens and Dale Pearson saw David Edwards put through on goal but his shot from the edge of the area was pushed to safety by the visitors’ keeper, Jordan Harkness. On 34 minutes however Ashington’s dominance told when a rushed clearance by Harkness put Aaron Croft under pressure. Wayne Buchanan slid in with a perfectly timed challenge in midfield and the ball ran to Stephens who broke into the box and shot across the keeper. Harkness managed to get a hand to the effort but could only push the ball into the path of Lee Scott who slid the ball home from four yards out.

Four minutes later and Ashington doubled their advantage with a Goal of the Season contender from Damien Stephens. Craig Scott won the ball in the middle of the park and fed it out to the Ashington forward on the right wing. Stephens cut back inside and from the edge of the box curled an effort beyond the despairing dive of Harkness and into the top right hand corner of the net to see the home side take a deserved 2 0 advantage into the break.

Ashington started the second half as they had played the first. A quick throw in saw Lee Scott cleverly turn the defender to play in Edwards on the edge of the box and his first time shot looked a goal all the way before Bradley Staunch managed to get his head to the ball to deflect it wide of the net. The home fans didn’t have to wait long for the next goal however when good work down the left by Pearson saw him pick out Lee Scott on the edge of the box and he calmly controlled the ball before striking it low passed Harkness and into the bottom right of the net.

The home side were totally dominating proceedings now. Lee McAndrew went on a mazy run before feeding Pearson who shot just over. But he was not to be denied when another passing move between Edwards and Stephens saw the latter play an inch perfect pass into the path of Pearson who ran into the box a struck a stinging effort which Harkness managed to get a hand to but the power of the strike made him unable to keep it out.

In the dying minutes Seaham almost got a consolation when a neat one-two saw James Thompson break into the area but his first time shot was held by Grant to secure the win and the clean sheet for Ashington. The impressive win sees Ashington rise to eighth in the Ebac Northern League Division One table. Ashington face Shildon next at home on Tuesday night before travelling to West Auckland on Saturday.